Dark Blue (2002)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Ron Shelton

Writers (WGA):

James Ellroy (story)
David Ayer (screenplay)

Release Date:

21 February 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Sworn to protect / Sworn to serve / Sworn to secrecy

Plot:

A robbery homicide investigation triggers a series of events that will cause a corrupt LAPD officer to question his tactics.

Plot Keywords:

Police | Lapd | Robbery | Riot | Corrupt Police

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Kurt Russell	...	Eldon Perry
Scott Speedman	...	Bobby Keough
Michael Michele	...	Beth Williamson
Brendan Gleeson	...	Jack Van Meter
Ving Rhames	...	Arthur Holland
Kurupt	...	Darryl Orchard
Dash Mihok	...	Gary Sidwell
Jonathan Banks	...	James Barcomb
Lolita Davidovich	...	Sally Perry
Khandi Alexander	...	Janelle Holland
Dana Lee	...	Henry Kim
Chapman Russell Way	...	Eldon Perry III
Marin Hinkle	...	Deena Schultz
Jim Cody Williams	...	Suspect
Eloy Casados	...	Rico

Also Known As:

4-29-92 (USA) (working title)
The Plague Season (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, language and brief sexuality.

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

USA | UK | Germany

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:18 | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-15 | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Philippines:R-18 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #38722) | Germany:16 (w) | Australia:MA | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

La Verne, California, USA

Company:

Alphaville Films

Trivia:

The script was set in the midst of the 1960s Watts Riots. James Ellroy updated the original story in 1992 after the request of producer Caldecot Chubb for budgetary reasons but asked that his name not be used to promote the movie after he had seen it.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the opening scene, the car's rear-view mirror suddenly disappears between shots.

Quotes:

Det. Sgt. Eldon Perry Jr.: You got to be heartless in my line of work!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Film Geek (2005)

Soundtrack:

Latin Lingo

A superb thriller made with commitment.

There's not really much to be said about this film: its internal integrity and the obvious commitment of everyone involved speak for themselves. When I think of Kurt Russell I always think of Soldier and Arnie he ain't but, DAMN, he can act when he's given a good script.

The DVD is well worth getting hold of. The documentaries are professional, detail packed and interesting. I like the comment by Cotty Chubb, the producer, who says that the four elements needed for a civil society are jobs, schools, hospitals and police. In many parts of urban America (he says) there are no jobs, the schools are s*i*, they've closed all the hospitals and the police are corrupt. For a foreigner, who has never been able to make sense of the perverse verdict in the trials of those infamous officers, this film shed some light on a very fragile society.